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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29103342">Seven Minutes In Heaven</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiwiiChan/pseuds/kiwiiChan'>kiwiiChan</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Afterlife, Birthday, Character Death, Christmas, Dating, Drinking, Engaged, Halloween, JaeMin, M/M, Mention of alcohol, Sad, Valentine's Day, im sorry, lee haechan - Freeform, life in seven minutes, mark lee - Freeform, markhyuck, mention of jungwoo, nct - Freeform, renjun - Freeform, they have a cat, why can't I write nice fics</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 13:49:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,760</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29103342</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiwiiChan/pseuds/kiwiiChan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There’s a myth, a very old myth that says the brain still has seven minutes of activity after death to finally comprehend the end of its existence.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Seven Minutes In Heaven</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I have once again stayed up all night to write a fic that nobody asked for, pls enjoy and let me know why you hate me by the end of this fic.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There’s a myth Mark had once heard as he was growing up that said after you died you still had seven minutes of brain activity before your brain itself knew you were actually dead. It was a myth of course, that was impossible. Plus, if you die there’s obviously no way for you to communicate that information with the living. It was a dumb rumor, but it always stuck in the back of his head. There were other rumors that stuck in the back of his head though, like the one he heard in high school saying that testicles had taste buds (it's not true, he tried it twice) or the one that people can live a lifetime in a dream. (a ‘long dream’ as Junji Ito came to teach him). The best rumor he heard, though, was the one that a boy in his math class had a crush on him and he purposely let him cheat off his papers to avoid failing the semester.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mark came to find out that the last rumor was true. Lee Haechan. Very conveniently though, Mark also had a crush on him and after three more months of copying off his math homework and sneaking over looks at his paper during tests Mark finally decided to thank him. That was the best decision Mark ever made.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>__</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mark wakes up on the second of August to Haechan placing soft, gentle kisses on his forehead and the smell of vanilla candles hitting his nose. The first sight Mark sees on his birthday is Haechan shining brightly at him with a cup of coffee in one hand and a small calico cat cradled on his other arm. He didn’t think anything could top last year's birthday in Canada, but he’s also been wrong many times before.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I tried making you a cake, but I ran out of ingredients so I went to go buy a cake instead. I also found a litter of kittens in a box in front of the bakery, but I was only able to take one and I basically had to pry it out of an old woman's hands.” Donghyuck takes a sip of coffee from the white mug in his hand, “Happy birthday, I love you, I love you, I love you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A beautiful morning indeed.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Haechan is worn out by the end of the afternoon after going from store to store trying to find the perfect things for the new kitten. Mark is more than enthusiastic about having a new kitten. He’s been carrying it around in his oversized hoodie’s pocket (another gift from his beloved boyfriend) and showing it to anybody that listens. Mark takes a second to look at Haechan at the stoplight two blocks from their house, he looks like everything he’s ever wanted in life. The rain pours down harder and there’s a strike of lightning so close by that the cars parked nearby start honking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It happens all too quickly. The light turns green and Mark waits a second before driving off but just as he’s halfway across the road there's a crash. The sound is so loud it makes Mark’s ears ring and his vision blurs. There's seven second of complete darkness and Mark can hear his own heartbeat. He can hear something else too, it’s like a long consistent never ending beep. He doesn’t know exactly where it’s coming from, all he wants to know is if Haechan is okay. His vision starts clearing when he hears Haechan call his name in the distance. He sounds so far away and that crash must have really messed up his hearing because he sounds like an echo. He tries so hard to focus, tries his very best to reach out to Haechan, but he reaches him first because he can feel the warmth of his embrace engulf him like flames. It’s okay, Haechan is safe.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>__</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mark wakes up on the 31st of October to a very excited Haechan. Halloween has always been Haechans favorite holiday. He has no limitation to his creativity and once he has the taste of it he goes all out. This halloween every inch of their apartment is covered in </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Haechan is fully dressed in a costume Mark’s having a little bit of trouble figuring out and it’s only 10am. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By noon, Haechan has caught Mark up on everything they have planned. He’s a little upset that Mark has nearly no idea of what they had planned a while ago for their holiday, but Mark has trouble remembering what he even did <em>yesterday</em>. Haechan says it’s okay, though, because that means more fun for Mark anyway. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mark is buzzed by 4pm. Almost their whole friend group is buzzed, excluding Jungwoo because he’s the designated driver. In another half hour Mark is going to have to try and calm down Jaemin from fighting Renjun over a game of Uno, it’s almost like this has happened before. Another beer, another minute of Renjun screaming out the game rules as Jaemin gives him a death glare, and another bowl full of candy put out on the porch.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As the night wears out so does Mark’s energy. He’s been feeling very drained, but he doesn’t want to ruin Haechans day. He’s participated in every activity that's been brought up, fed the cat, stopped a fight, stopped a makeout session, initiated a smoke session and finalized a drinking game as the champion. By the time everyone starts to leave Marks night has started to fade, it might be the alcohol in his system finally taking affect or maybe it’s his brain telling him to take it easy, but either way he takes his spot next to a very red faced and hiccuping Haechan on the couch, taps his thigh three times and closes his eyes.</span>
</p><p>___</p><p>
  <span>On Christmas day Mark wakes up before Haechan, the world outside is covered in snow so he doesn’t think they have anything planned and if they do, it’s obviously canceled. It doesn’t matter, they can have fun by themselves. Mark tries, he really does, to cook a nice breakfast and surprise Haechan before he wakes up. It’s always Haechan doing all this nice, cute stuff for Mark and he really wants to return the favor. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It goes as good as it can go. Sure, the pancakes aren’t perfect but neither is Mark and Hachan loves both of them nonetheless. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I got you a present” Haechan says and he holds out a small box towards Mark.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But, I thought we said no presents this year” Mark turns bright red as Haechan gives him the box, they </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> said no presents, right?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know, just changed my mind at the last minute. You know me” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Haechan is eager to see Mark's reaction as he begins to unwrap it. It takes a minute for everything to finally set in. Mark looks up at Haechan in awe, puts the box aside and hugs him like the world would end if he ever let go. He doesn’t know when he starts crying, he just feels the hot tears stream down his face, feels a pang in his chest and then absolute bliss. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I love you, I love you, I love you.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>__</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s Valentine's day do you think we can have free drinks at the bar?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, because then they would have no business, and I bet they get a ton of business today”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, you're right. Wanna watch a movie?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“As long as you keep your dirty hands away from my ass.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t make promises I can’t keep”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You're my favorite Mark Lee”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There's more Mark Lee’s?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>__</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> April is a month to remember. It was when Mark first approached Haechan all that time ago. Haechan was very shy, or at least he pretended to be, Mark thinks, because now he has a lot of trouble keeping his mouth closed. In all honesty, although Mark will never admit it, finally getting to properly talk to Haechan was the hardest thing Mark has ever had to hype himself up for. No amount of big hockey games and public speaking could amount to the immense anxiety Mark was experiencing that day. He thought everything was going to go bad, he stuttered almost every word he spoke and yet Haechan never laughed. Actually now that he thinks about it, and it's taking him all his strength and energy to remember this, Haechan was patient with Mark every step of the way. He’s always been so patient and kind and understanding even when Mark ends up upsetting him. He thinks, in another life and in every life after that, Mark has and will always love Lee Haechan. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>__</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>On Haechans birthday Mark wakes up extra early, makes the best breakfast he has ever done in his entire life and wakes up Haechan with his favorite song. Mark’s not the most creative person, at least that's what he thinks, Haechan and their friends think otherwise, but he compiled a little video of all of his and Haechans favorite moments. Mark’s very happy he's recorded so many of their moments together because his memory makes things difficult sometimes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Haechan loves it, he cries for five minutes straight after the video has finished before he can finally speak.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mark Lee you make every birthday worth waiting for” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mark can hide his tears a little better than Haechan can, at least he thinks, but his eyes betray him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The entire day feels like a daydream, literally. Mark can’t seem to shake the dreamy daze away from reality, he even cleaned his contact lenses twice and yet by the time its 8pm everything has gotten worse.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You okay?” Johnny takes the beer bottle from Mark’s hand when he sees him staring intently at the logo.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Seven minutes, it takes exactly seven minutes for Mark to finally put everything together. Exactly seven minutes for his brain to finally acknowledge that there is no more. He looks over at Johnny, at Renjun and Jaemin and the cat sleeping on the blank couch. And then he looks over at Haechan, his dear beloved Haechan. He stares at him, sees how he stares back with yearn in his body and longing in his eyes and everything starts to fade. The balloons, the birthday cake and all of time and space. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s a myth, a very old myth that says the brain still has seven minutes of activity after death to finally comprehend the end of its existence and Mark finally proved it true.   </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A very sudden ending because things sometimes end very suddenly and when we least expect it. also because I still haven't learned how make good endings ): <br/>find me on twt: suhtrwbrry</p></blockquote></div></div>
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